It was pretty much expected that T-Mobile USA’s Android phones would be passed over where HTC’s Sense UI is concerned, but we still got our hopes up just a little when HTC CEO Peter Chou said the UI would be hitting current handsets. According to some statements reportedly made by an HTC representative, Android devices that bear “with Google” branding such as T-Mobile’s G1/myTouch 3G and Vodafone’s Magic will indeed not receive Sense due to licensing issues with Google. But it gets worse. Some handsets that don’t have the “with Google” mark are reportedly not even guaranteed to be getting the update either as a result of licensing, logistics and cost issues. Of course, it’s not quite a nightmare scenario considering anyone who is capable of following a tutorial will be able to load a custom ROM onto an upgrade-ineligible device. But still, it would’ve been cool to not have to worry about custom ROMs.

any google branded device (ie. g1, g2) can be considered a “google phone”. google has final say over everything, its like they only subcontracted the hardware/drivers to the manufacturer.

Lance

How about access to Google services or not? Gmail, Picasa etc.? is that part of the licensing?

therealninja: Do you know for fact or you are just speculating?

Chris

I’m not suprised, I said they wouldn’t in the previous post about Sense UI.

I would be suprised if HTC actually does update non-google devices to the SenseUI. HTC DOES NOT update UIs. This is a plain and simple fact as evidenced from their history with winmo phones. It is up to the user to goto xda and do it him/herself and then work out whatever kinks ensue.

Randy

Since Rogers Wireless in Canada offers the hTC Magic (non “Google Experience” ROM), the Sense UI may be applied to the Dream and Magic in Canada. Just a thought….

http://www.twitter.com/ManMythLegend ManMythLegend

Yea, I’m pretty sure everyone saw this coming from the jump.

Doesn’t bother me any though; it will just be that much cooler to show off for those of us with the know how…

therealninja

@lance its a fact. i am not speculating. what u see on the G1/G2 is typical for a google branded phone.

Danny Morgan

I hope HTC lets Android on the high end phones like Touch Pro2 and others…ppl want choices and choices will be given to them if the company has to learn the hard way

chris

I thought Google was supposed to be all open and stuff. TouchFlo doesn’t lose OEMs the Windows Mobile brand, but Sense loses them the Google brand? Who would’ve thunk it?

henry earl

>anyone who is capable of following a tutorial
>will be able to load a custom ROM onto an upgrade-ineligible
>device. But still, it would’ve been cool to not have to worry about custom ROMs.

you’re telling me. what’s the point then? i dont know about some of you, but the biggest problem i have with “custom” roms is that the guys making them crap them up with even worse stuff than carrier ROMs. not only that, but usually they like to put their own little personal “touches” on them, like heinous nerd-fanboy pics of women they will never ever approach let alone sleep with, craptacular fonts that are impossible to read, and multitudes of “useful apps” that suck ass. there’s a reason these companies spend big bucks hiring people for “usability” and interface design… i’d love to see Sense UI on a “CWG” handset but you know anybody who does it is likely going to ruin it completely.

Jessie

Android is not a business class OS – it does not offer things like encryption (hence why Google Android will not be adopted quickly in the enterprise space and why iPhone is still delayed in the larger Enterprise Space.) To date only Microsoft Windows Mobile and Black Berry are the only two that support Enterprise encryption.

All that aside, who in the heck wants to handle all over their sensative email information to Google’s advertising dragnet engine? Coincidentally, Google is trying to take Microsoft’s existing distribution system (3rd party developers) and offer up solutions to displace the competition by stating the OS is free versus the $15 or so it is for a WM OS. At the end of the day the OS is not free to end users who pay dearly when it comes to the privacy of their information. Until Google has true on-premise mixed mode solutions they are never going to dominate the enterprise space.

http://www.ganconference.com Elvis S

Google branded or not. Seems like a restrictive move on Google’s part, no reason for fan boy enthusiasm, if you can’t get exchange support on your G1 out of box.